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March, 2024

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A Question for the Ladies

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errrka
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 6,058
So... I'm kind of working on something to get girls more involved in freestyle skiing, but I'm running into a few brainstorming problems so I come to NS for a little research.

How did you first get into freestyle skiing?

For example:
I have a few reasons:
1. Older brother
2. Midwest ski hill
I grew up at a tiny resort in Ohio where you either got bored or did park, so I decided to be the annoying little sister that I am and followed my brother around in the park. Once he grew out of skiing I got full swing into it. Hung out with the boys and did my first big air at 16. After that I was hooked, once I got to college I was able to meet some other freestyle girls and we've been best friends since.

I remember hearing that's how Maggie Voisin got into it, her twin(?) brother skied so she always hung around with them.

Anyways, I'm trying to figure out if that's the only way to get girls involved (give them an older brother?) or if there are other girls with different stories.
Feb 17 2014 8:35PM
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zoaster
Posts: 42 - Karma: 92
Well for me I raced for many years and always went freeskiing when ever I could. Always chasing and passing the boys which really pushed my skiing. Last year I just kinda got sick of racing and decided to freeski more. I absolutely love freeskiing, no matter if its urban, in the park, big mountain or backcountry.I love how i can let my creativity out through it. I think girls are scared that they won't be able to do the big ticks, intimidated by the boys, and just think because they are girls they can't do it. Which isn't true at all and needs to change.
Feb 17 2014 8:45PM
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erica
Posts: 3449 - Karma: 24,068
Luckily I too had a big brother who snowboarded park and I snowboarded at the time, little thrill seeker and wanted to follow him around/ be just like him. I eventually switched over to skiing cause I wanted a new challenge and it seemed cooler. Same thing a lot of my best friends i've made through skiing/snowboarding.

Maybe now that girls see how cute skier boys are they'll be more likely to try it ;)
Feb 17 2014 8:45PM
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erica
Posts: 3449 - Karma: 24,068
Maybe J skis should make a womens ski with hot skier boys on it
Feb 17 2014 8:46PM
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zoaster
Posts: 42 - Karma: 92
I think we should suggest that
Feb 17 2014 8:52PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,467
I got into skiing because my dad was and still is an instructor
Feb 17 2014 8:55PM
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WaffleMaster
Posts: 661 - Karma: 5,565
Plenty girls at my school just sign up for ski club. Then tweet endlessly about their love for it.
Feb 17 2014 9:11PM
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Daph
Posts: 5978 - Karma: 5,005
I grew up in colorado and have been skiing since I was a tiny nugget and I have always loved jumping off of shit, so naturally I ventured into the park where they specifically made things to jump off of.
Feb 17 2014 9:21PM
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FBGM
Posts: 8184 - Karma: 2,675
Kind of like Daphne, I've been skiing since I was a tiny person and I liked to ski fast and jump off of stuff so that's sort of where it started. I have a cousin in Utah who introduced me to NS and here I am.
Feb 17 2014 9:31PM
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Fam-B6
Posts: 379 - Karma: 1,104
We have 2 girls skiing park. It is just a family thing. We all 6 ski together and Dad got into to park because we skied a little mtn and park was something new to learn. All the kids thought it was fun and we've been at it since. It is a shame the girls are not welcome in the sport. We have definitely seen the issues with it being a male dominated sport. Most people are supportive of the girls but the fact that they are the only girls out there time and again can be intimidating for them. We're definitely advocates for smaller jump size for female athletes. On a smaller jump they can really show their ability instead of just surviving. Maybe more girls would be more into it if more female pro athletes put their edits out there like on NS. Our girls spend their time watching the men which isn't quite as inspirational for them. We would love to see more girls out there but we also want to keep them safe, the big jumps at the Olympics just seemed ridiculous. I don't want my girls going off them ever. I hate seeing so many injuries in the women who are competing. We do this sport because it's fun at the moment but we struggle with allowing them to go bigger and bigger. Most rail comps that we've been to have rails that are so intimidating, all the kids want to do is slide them out when on a safe (lower) rail they can do all kinds of tricks. If local and USASA comps could set up youth and/or women appropriate set up we might see more boys and girls getting into the sport. Why do all the set ups have to be so hard when Andreas Hatveit trains on simple rails about a foot off the ground? Our girls were drawn into the sport because it's fun. We try to keep it that way but the fact is injuries just aren't fun for anybody. If people want to invite girls into the sport there needs to be a shift in judging (less emphasis on amplitude and more on the trick and style). Lets face it no girl in their right mind wants to fly 100 ft in the air. If a woman can do a triple Lutz as well as a man there is no reason female Olympian Slope stylers can't throw their tricks with as much grace as the men. If the Olympic female skiers were going off much smaller jumps and looking super stylish, graceful, and controlled, doing the tricks that were at the peak of their ability, and landing with "afterbang" more parents would be supportive of their girls doing the sport and more girls would be drawn to the sport.
Feb 17 2014 9:53PM
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gengar.
Posts: 1042 - Karma: 1,641
i support this!

but yeah, i had a few friends that were guys convince me to try, and i fell in love
Feb 17 2014 10:22PM
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S.M.G
Posts: 446 - Karma: 1,448
I said that looks cool I'm gonna try that
Feb 17 2014 10:32PM
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yangumane
Posts: 1816 - Karma: 3,346
A question for OP - which resort in Ohio? I ski at Snow Trails :/
Feb 17 2014 10:34PM
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errrka
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 6,058
I actually grew up at Snow Trails!
Feb 17 2014 10:37PM
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yangumane
Posts: 1816 - Karma: 3,346
I feel your pain then. ST blows
Feb 17 2014 10:41PM
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level_juan
Posts: 137 - Karma: 167
kind of long, but whatever-
my mom gave me my first pair of twins for christmas when i was 11 and i knew that people would hit jumps with twins so i was like "whoa, i should try that too!" when i first started going into the beginner park and 50-50ing boxes and hitting small side hits i didn't know anyone else that was doing that type of stuff, so i was always kind of on my own.

then, for my 13th birthday my mom sent me to MHSSC where they taught me how to actually hit a jump and slide boxes/rails. everyone there was so stoked on skiing it really got me excited about it. One day at the camp Andy Perry visited and hosted a little rail jam and thats how i learned about the traveling circus. i think that i can give TC and NS a lot of credit for really getting me into skiing park. anyways, at the camp i over heard this kid talking about some website where he would earn 'karma'. so when i got home i googled 'skiing websites with karma' and ended up finding newschoolers. over the rest of that summer i started to really watch a lot of edits and learn a lot more about the skiing community.

the next fall i started high school and became friends with a group of guys that were started to ski park just like me. we skied a bunch together that season/ i skied a bunch on my own in the park just trying to progress as much as possible. also the guys i started skiing with were huge into style, so i really started to develop my style that season and the following season through both them and ns.

and thats my little story
Feb 17 2014 10:52PM
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goodnoooo
Posts: 555 - Karma: 2,075
i am 20 yrs old and i actually just started going into the park to start learning some new things. i have been skiing since I could walk and i grew up skiing in Utah where the terrain and pow was endless. so when i started skiing on the east coast when i was in high school, i was the only skier i knew so i was always trapped with snowboarders. i was scared to learn park on my own so i completely avoided it. so now that i am in college, i have met so many people here at school that ski who have been teaching me and pushing me in the park. NS definitely has motivated me to step out of my comfort zone and learn to freeski. i really love it. it is thrilling and fun. i only know a couple other girls who ski park in my area. i am really excited to see freeskiing grow among girls.
Feb 17 2014 11:01PM
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.Hansel.
Posts: 185 - Karma: 113
tits
Feb 17 2014 11:06PM
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KLovelace
Posts: 2118 - Karma: 289
i learned to ski when I was 8 but only went a few times a year.. then I did an exchange year in switzerland in 2005 and saw skiers in the park skiing switch and hitting rails and thought it looked awesome so the following season got a pair of twin tips and befriended people who liked to ski. :)
Feb 18 2014 10:25AM
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shorty_T
Posts: 2725 - Karma: 761
Threads for when I get onto my computer. Easier than typing it out on my phone.
Feb 18 2014 10:59AM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13045 - Karma: 18,291
Most girls I met started freeriding because of external influence. Its a boyfriend that takes them out or their clique wants to try something new for fun. My prediction for the best way to attract girls into the sport is by making it a social fun session. There has to be no pressure and nothing but stoke.

There are so many events going on in the world, its going to be hard to think up of a creative new approach to instructing/sessioning.
Feb 18 2014 11:05AM
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errrka
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 6,058
These are my skis, some original armada arw's circa 2005
Click for larger image
Feb 18 2014 11:11AM
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kekoa
Posts: 1 - Karma: 12
i grew up with two brothers. they both played sports but neither has any interest in snow sports. i grew up snowboarding. then i grew bored with it and switched to skiing. skiing is WAY more fun!
Feb 18 2014 11:24AM
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Jesslun
Posts: 2 - Karma: 24
I got into the park as the snow and the length of runs in Australia are terrible and not challenging enough...and because I'm an adrenalin junkee the park is my drug of choice.
Feb 18 2014 11:25AM
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DERS.
Posts: 6299 - Karma: 1,293
this thread has a great ratio.
Feb 18 2014 11:34AM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
Armada did this with the 06 arw. No one bought it even though it was the best women's twin at the time.

I've skied my entire life. Raced till I was 17 but took up snowboarding at 14 as something different. Dislocated my hip twice snowboarding and it started hurting too much so I stopped at 20. I was an instructor at mt high for both skiing and snowboarding. Quit snowboarding but moved to mammoth to start a ski team my last year of uni. I started then which was in 2007. I took it easy though since I've already out injured most of the park skiers. Still some damage I can do with big mountain though.
Feb 18 2014 12:08PM
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turntwood
Posts: 301 - Karma: 295
I learned to ski when I was in junior high, and first started skiing with some other girls. I think I must've eventually gotten bored of skiing with them or something, or they weren't as interested in progressing as I was anymore so I started skiing with some of my guy friends instead. I just remember being really bad at skiing and trying to keep up with them. I'm not sure what my initial draw to the park was, probably when I was skiing with the guys. Eventually though I got really into it and would go up there just by myself to go ski park. Even now if I'm skiing park, it's probably with guys. Hopefully this helps!
Feb 18 2014 12:10PM
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neutralzombie
Posts: 8629 - Karma: 606
i started skiing because i got free skis from an awesome bf and ski website - wink. but seriously, newschoolers and my bf taught me about the ski world, and i love it. i work in more of a skate/snowboard industry right now, and i genuinely prefer the ski world. people seem way more down to earth and genuine, and driven by passion and fun/adventure over snobby ideals.

i learned to ski when i was a kid, a rode for a few years and took lessons with my brothers. my dad used to ski with us, and we'd go every weekend. we stopped because of money issues, and i know i wanted a snowboard forever, which i learned how in grade 11. finally got myself a snowboard a few years after hs, rode for 3 years, and switched to skiing.

i prefer skiing because of comfort mainly. i was told often gear was a core issue in why i was having difficulty progressing in snowboarding, but i never really felt as comfortable as i do on skis. possibly because of more years advantage at a young age skiing, and almost 15 years backed as a figure skater. needless to say, i've progressed farther in less time in skiing, than i did on a snowboard.

i think the best way to get girls involved in sports is just encouragement. there's a big issue on the back burner about women in sports that i think the big problem. i find girls are just too afraid of what people think, and we learn later in life that we really don't need to give as big of a shit about people's opinions.

for sure watching female athletes is a major motivator. what i've noticed lacks in women's skiing is a lot more videos based only on women riders - while i notice there are many in women's snowboarding. i definitely love to watch the girls from lipstick productions and what have you because it's motivating and empowering to watch women do what the boys always have. also a huge reason why i love nikita so much. other than the elements of style creating such a strong brand (i'm a fashion nerd), they focus only on women, and hold lots of events and camps for women.

i also blame assholes like nyjah houston(skateboarding) for saying shit like "girls don't belong in skateboarding" for the archaic mentality that discourages women to be themselves.
Feb 18 2014 12:30PM
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speedin
Posts: 731 - Karma: 131
Ski boots are more comfortable for you then snowboard boots?
Wow

Feb 18 2014 12:45PM
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ModMommy
Posts: 10719 - Karma: 55,326
I started skiing at Northstar at Tahoe. It's pretty much known for its park features. When the Dew Tour stopped there in 2009 I got to be up against the pipe and then down in the pool, and watching the pros do it in person made me want to try it. The fact they we had progression parks really helped me move away from racing and find a place where I wasn't embarrassed to learn things or feel like I was being judged too hard. I was the first in our family to start trying park stuff. Plus having a friend who competed and I really looked up to was nice. She supported me through everything and took the time to teach me the ropes. I guess having a mountain that made it so easy to get out there and learn made me want to do it.
Feb 18 2014 12:57PM
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neutralzombie
Posts: 8629 - Karma: 606
i hate ski boots. but that's probably why the boot industry to working hard on changing the level of performance vs comfort.
Feb 18 2014 12:59PM
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a.g
Posts: 33 - Karma: 71
I started skiing when I was 3, and a couple years after that my mountain built a little kiddie park. It had a mini half pipe, a few little jumps, and a few other things. I used to eat shit going off the jumps all the time but I still loved it. My parents used to make me do seasonal lessons every year but I got bored when I was like 14, I felt like couldn't get any better and had skied all of my mountain so many times so I quit my ski group and ended up going in the park more. Also, I have a little brother who I got into it so it was fun.
Feb 18 2014 2:00PM
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YourMomsCouch
Posts: 311 - Karma: 4,039
I started skiing because I have an older brother that started doing it. He showed me how much fun it looked and I begged my dad for a pair of skis. That was the same year my dad joined ski patrol, and all members got free family passes so it was too good to pass up. I think another influence was the fact that it was/is primarily a guy sport, and a lot of the guys I've met while skiing are pretty good looking. Either way I'm really glad I decided to stick with it because it really is an amazing sport.
Feb 18 2014 2:16PM
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ZachAndCheese
Posts: 816 - Karma: 5,116
Pretty surprised I haven't read anything super sexist yet.
Feb 18 2014 2:30PM
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brodiegato
Posts: 88 - Karma: 227
"got bored or did park" hagahahaha so true. once ski racing got gay at age like 12 haha
Feb 18 2014 2:33PM
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ctarv
Posts: 31 - Karma: 42
I didn't start until my freshmen year of college after I one of my friends was obsessed. There was something about being in the snow and on the mountain that was a stress relief and I was hooked. Skiing is just freedom
Feb 18 2014 2:37PM
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katie.
Posts: 2833 - Karma: 874
I had always been fucking around in the terrain park with my little sister since we learned how to ski (yeah, we were those kids). I was introduced to the whole culture by a boyfriend in high school, and when we broke up I stuck with it. Never got very good, mind you, but I love the community and the fact that the terrain park at my hill is full of really cute guys.

Now that I'm at university I'm not making it out to ski as much as I used to but I still identify with being a park skier!
Feb 18 2014 2:49PM
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Lemuel
Posts: 14477 - Karma: 10,515
Wut. Your bro sounds like a dork.
Feb 18 2014 5:45PM
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GSPhotography
Posts: 838 - Karma: 1,373
I use to ski race and when I was 17 my good friend from college , also known as Malcolm on here dragged me to the mountain and though me how to slide on boxes. Hes the man !
Feb 18 2014 5:51PM
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gotti
Posts: 4269 - Karma: 4,548
i didnt know there were this many girls on ns
Feb 18 2014 6:24PM
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errrka
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 6,058
He got old, got married, gained weight and now has a baby
Oh and became lame
Feb 18 2014 6:28PM
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sammy_
Posts: 1597 - Karma: 467
skied my whole life and my mountain got pretty boring and my older cousins who are 10 or so years older than me used to freestyle so I started going to the halfpipe when i was like 11. then started watching Tanner and Simon in comps and youtubing them and started to pick up on things they were doing and taught myself how to send it in the pipe and then started asking locals for help to learn to spin. While I was teaching myself pipe I also taught myself how to do rails, and started to learn to to spin on and off once I got the hang of them. Wasn't too hard to ask for help because I was the only girl in the park so the guys would be stoked to help a girl out. Now I'm on freestyle team so learning new shit everyday when I'm not injured... which i currently am.
Feb 18 2014 6:37PM
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shane-mcwannabe
Posts: 27 - Karma: 597
I had to learn how to ski so I could kick some ass.. ended up hooked
Feb 18 2014 7:02PM
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hippy.
Posts: 3106 - Karma: 14,356
It was a cold winter morning, I was alone..Thinking of a way to get through winter without my precious vibrator...It all began as soon as my boyfriend (now ex) brought me to the hill...His dick was ONLY like 14 inches hard and I knew I had to meet guys with average sized penises..When I put my rental skis on and felt my boots were 5 sizes too big I knew it! I was a pure bred skier! My boyfriend whom I was using purely for money told me my pizza-ing skills were perfect! Then I tried hitting a rail and died..
Feb 18 2014 7:03PM
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hippy.
Posts: 3106 - Karma: 14,356
holy fuck why did i write all of that!?!?!?!
Feb 18 2014 7:04PM
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The_Beekeeper
Posts: 843 - Karma: 302
Wow, this thread is actually going really well. Good job NS, you didn't fuck up for once.
Feb 18 2014 7:05PM
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Kmariee
Posts: 1 - Karma: 11
I always loved skiing and snowboarding since I was little and just going down a mountain wasn't enough for me haha, i tried snowboarding for a little and i really hated it, then i decided i was gonna start hitting the park, been hooked ever since. I started cause i loved the sport. its always nice to one up boys too ;p
Feb 18 2014 7:13PM
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crab_pretzel
Posts: 3919 - Karma: 622
folks we did it!!!! broke a world record:

most pink names to post in one thread
Feb 18 2014 7:23PM
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dani_
Posts: 72 - Karma: 146
I started skiing when I was a wee tot and I followed my older brother around with his freeski team. His coach started showing me how to slide boxes and do moguls and stuff and eventually I joined the team. I haven't progressed as much as I'd like to yet. Now I'm the only girl at my hill so it's hard to get stoked and learn tricks at my level when it's all boys. I find whenever i go to ski camps it's more fun and easier to progress because there are a lot of girls at all different levels. Seeing girls that are better than me do stuff that I have yet to learn makes me wanna learn what they're doing and I feel like I can because I saw a girl do it, compared to when I see a guy do something and it seems sooo much more difficult then it actually is.
Feb 18 2014 8:18PM
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J_skis
Posts: 1132 - Karma: 16,127
we can make a graphic girls like, but I'm not a girl so it has to come from the girls that are going to buy it. So post some ideas & inspirations and we'll consider developing a graphic further like we did here http://jskis.com/tropicthunder#graphics
Feb 18 2014 8:45PM
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hippy.
Posts: 3106 - Karma: 14,356
I'm sure the girls would LOVE a Trailer Park Boy ski..So lets get that going ;)
Feb 18 2014 9:51PM
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